AboutDean Price Law

A graduate of the University of Missouri at Kansas City Law School, Dean Price has centered his professional career on criminal defense. After going to law school to be a public defender, Dean served as a public defender in the Missouri state system for nearly five years and then worked as a full-time federal public defender for over three years. He then moved to private practice, where he has focused solely on criminal defense work for nearly 30 years.

An 23-year member of the Board of Directors (and former President) of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL), Dean is a frequent lecturer in criminal defense seminars on a wide range of topics covering everything from trial advocacy and legal topics to the “Theatre of the Courtroom.”

Dean is a member of the Missouri Bar, the US District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, and was even admitted to the select group of attorneys permitted argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. He is also a member of the American Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

During his long career in criminal defense, Dean has seen (and argued) just about any case one can imagine, giving him a wealth of experience that few can match. After all, there aren’t many criminal defense lawyers who can truthfully claim to have argued a case before the Missouri Supreme Court, appeared with a client before a U.S. House of Representatives committee hearing, and tried a case on Court TV.

When asked why his clients trust him to represent them, Dean emphasizes his commitment to criminal defense: “I’ve never been a prosecutor,” he says. “I approach every case like a criminal defense lawyer. … A plea should always be the last resort. My first goal is to get every case dismissed. Then we prepare for trial. It’s only when you’re really ready for trial that you can make an informed decision about your best interests.”

Dean is especially flexible and understanding with clients who are trying to balance the stress of dealing with criminal charges with the rest of their work and family responsibilities, even allowing for early morning and Saturday appointments. He stresses that, above all, his clients know what they’re getting—a skilled, experienced defense lawyer who will do his best to represent their interests, and who won’t pass that responsibility over to assistants or associates: “This is a one lawyer shop. If you hire me, I’m the lawyer you’re going to see in Court.”